New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-21
THE AMERICAN IDEA.
From TIE Bosion Herald.


When Mr.. George w Smalley returned last summer
after ten years Absence to his native land he noted
many changes IN NewYorh and among the people at
large but nothing struck him more tocibiy than the
inoT oased confidence Ia the AmerioaU idea. lie was
himself full OF the thought vi Difference 10 foreign
Opinions. ahioh was greatly the ruls when ho was
among actve citizen, but he found that public
sentiment here had changed. and that cur people OF
every grade and rank are quite Indifferent to what
may be thought about them in Great Britain OF In
part OF Europe lie explains tho change III MS Nine
teentb Century article. thus:
The American look. about him and sees y hat no
himself has dono and what his country has become
and he hears IRON every European reads In every
European journal that the United States must be
reokoned auong the great Powers OF the world. Ibis
last acknowledgment he accepts once Tor ALL and he
says himself that henceor ard what concerns him
Is Am rican Judgment upon things Anne, ican. and
thai only He has no need to appeal to a foreign
tribunal" -.
This is correct analysis OF the state of feeling
among ourselves, and 1t is this confidence In ouI
material and intellectual resources which Mr.. Arnold.
rcyie ~ ing General Grants " Memoirs calls the
A.neroan boastiulness TO refined Intelligence there
is no doubt that the attitude OF the American toward
the opinions Of the old World is not sufficiently deier
entail and Mr. Arnold greatly mistakes us he thinks
that this eli-conhdcnce 10 mere insularliy ana
provin cialsm IL is nothing OF The kind 1t is simpy
the growth OF the American people into hationh
manhood or selconsoIonsness. ar,
Thi, Is what delighted 80 acute an observer as MT
Smnlley WHO has never lost his American teeiipS III
his residence abroad lie fo"nd tue american Tess
a..,,su than ever and yet more tree than over nom
y Jenendence upon European sentimenf 10 sustain
~. omn,ons The American idea IA supreme today
~ i. Ills supremacy OF the national consciousness
anu anu, ia at The root much that Is beat IN our pol
,,,caI and intellectual lilo.
our relations with England must always DC close
nu Tor this to be otherwise. But our servility to
,"reian opinion in ."atters OF thought or economic
no lev or tho rules that &c vcrn any OF the great
poiv}ites OF liio IL ut an end. The American idea
W.. America There Is no escape from tn and it's
natural increase will still further modify and uplift
II Is only since the OWL war that the dependence
mon European sentiment has been greatly diminished.
Tpe strengthening OF the idea OF American national
y has been tho increasing vi our respect Tor the good
things which the Nation has incorporated into It's
universal lite Inc nsre"sinI iee1S Of self
promising In tho various directions In which the
refined life Of tho people finds expression II Is also
felt In tho handling OF our political issues IL takes
tho lead In the treatment OF social questions The
feeling Ia that we nave received all the schoonaster
ing from the Gid World which IL required, and that
our work here Ia to put forth our own resources
effectively than ever before